title: Debilitating clinical disease in a wild-born captive western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) co-infected with varicella zoster virus (VZV) and simian T-lymphotropic virus (STLV).
abstract: A wild-born, 34-yr-old female western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) was transferred between zoologic collections in the United Kingdom. Adjustment to its new environment was difficult and a series of health problems ensued. Progressive severe illness of multiple etiologies, and a failure to respond to multiple therapies, led to its euthanasia 5 mo later. Disease processes included severe thoracic and axillary cutaneous ulceration of T2-3 dermatome distribution, gastroenteritis, ulcerative stomatitis, emaciation, hind limb weakness or paresis, and decubitus ulcers of the ankles and elbows. Ante- and postmortem infectious disease screening revealed that this animal was not infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, simian varicella virus (SVV), simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), or hepatitis B virus; but was infected with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and simian T-lymphotropic virus (STLV). It is hypothesized that recrudescence of VZV and other disease processes described were associated with chronic STLV infection and the end of a characteristically long incubation period.
authors.affiliation: International Zoo Veterinary Group, Keighley Business Centre, South Street, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD21 1AG, United Kingdom. N.Masters@izvg.co.uk
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Masters
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niphuis
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verschoor
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breuer
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quinlivan
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wawrzynczyk
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stidworthy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006800:Deltaretrovirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006071:Gorilla gorilla; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015303:Simian T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*